Trolley-wire clamp



UNITED STATES SAMUEL s. MATTHEs, or MANsrIELD,

OI-IIO, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE OI-IIO BRASS COMPANY, OF MANSFIELI), OI-IIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TROLLEY-WIRE CLAMP.

Application led December 28, 1918.

T 0 all 'whom T5 may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. MA'rrHns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Tire Clamps, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps and has particular reference to the type of clamps used for suspending conductors or wires of electric railway systems or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved clamp of this character which will be simple, durable and strong in construction, efl'ective and efficient in operation, and which can be manufactured at a low cost.

Another obj ect is to provide an improved clamp which is free of separable parts, which has positive action, and which can be readily inserted into and removed from operative position.

A further object is to provide an improved clamp of the character referred to, having means for detachably and adjustably securing the clamp to a support or hanger and having jaws whereby a perfect alinement with the Vwire may be obtainedv when the parts are secured together.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved clamp for suspending wires, cables, conductors, or the like which comprises clamping ends for engaging the wires and a toggle operable to move and maintain said ends in clamping position.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the novel features of the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts tojbe described hereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

Figure 1 is a side view of a clamp embodying the principles of my invention and shown as secured to an insulator support and in clamping engagement with a trolley wire.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clamp taken on the line 3 8 of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the clamp taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Serial No. 268,728.

insulated support, in this view, being shown partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to F ig. 4, showing the clamp partly in section and the clamping members in open position.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the adjusting collar and showing the socket arranged therein.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, l have illustrated my improved clamp as secured to a well known insulated hanger or support generally indicated at 1, and which, as shown, may be provided with suitable means, such as arms 2, Fig. 2, or a threaded boss 3, Fig. 4, for suspending or rigidly securing the hanger in position in the usual manner. Embedded within the insulation material 4 is a bolt 5, having its lower end projecting below the end of the lhanger and provided with screw threads 6, for attachment to a clamp.

The clamp illustrated and described is particularly designed to clamp and hold a grooved trolley wire 10. It will be understood, however, that the invention is applicable for suspending trolley wires having other cross sectional shapes, and for supporting other wires and cables.

rlhe clamp comprises, as shown, a pair of interchangeable clamping aws 11, pivotally connected together by a hinge pin 12 passing through suitably apertured lugs 13. The lower ends 14 of the clamping jaws are for engagement with a trolley wire 10 or the like, and may be formed as shown or otherwise. Movably mounted between the jaws for rotary and vertical movement and eX- tending through and beyond the upper ends thereof is a threaded socket 15, the lower end of which is provided with a head 16, adapted to receive and support a pair of angularly disposed and adjustable actuating members 17, which have their lower ends in abutting engagement as shown at 18. The opposite ends of the members 17, which constitute substantially a toggle and which will hereinafter be referred to as such, have engagement with and operate against the clamping jaws at 19. The upper end of the socket is formed with a polygonal flange 20, slidably receivable within the similarly formed opening 21, of the adjusting collar 22, which is disposed on top of the clamping jaws and adaptedto be clamped between the end surfaces of the jaws and the lower surface 23 of the support when the device is secured in position in a manner well understood in the art.

In practice when it is desired to suspend a trolley wire or the like the operation consists in first partially securing the invention to the threaded end 6 of an ordinary insulator-or support by rotating the adjusting collar 22 in one direction. In this position of the device, as shown inFig. 5, sufficient movement of the jaws l1 may be had to insert the trolley Wire l0 between the clamping edges of the jaws. Upon rotation of the adjusting collar 22, and with it the socket 15, the upper end of the adjusting collar is brought into engagement with the surface 23 of the insulator and the socket drawn upwardly through kthe adjusting collar while the jaws Y11 are prevented from rising by reason of their engagement with the lower end of the adjusting collar. The soclet'l in moving upward relatively to the jaws transmits movement to the toggle or angularly disposed actuating members 17 sepa-V rating their ends which engage the jaws and vthereby cause the clamping edgesof the jaws to move into engagement with the wire.

Having fully described my invention and illustrated one embodiment of the same, I do not wish to be Vlimited to the details of the construction shown since these can be changed without departing from the spirit of this invention.

V,I claim as my invention:

Y l. A clamp of the character .described comprising clamping jaws to engage a wire, a rotatable memberV projecting between said jaws for attachment to a support, and a pair of pivotally mounted means interposed between the member and jaws and Vengaging Voperating by vertical movement of the member to exert pressure against the jaws Vwhereby the-clamping edges of the latter will be caused to move toward each other. j l

3. VA clamp of the.character-described embodyingY clamping aws to engage and hold a wire, a rotatablemember projecting be-Y tween the aws for attachment to a support, a pair of pivotally .mounted Ymeans connecting the member and jaws Vand bearing V.against the interior surfaces of thel jaws and operating by vertical movement of the member to impartfclamping action to the jaws, and means'mounted on theclamping tatable member and engaging opposing'inner surfaces of the clamping jaws, said vtoggle operating by vertical movement of the rotatable member and imparting clamping action to the aws, and means for actuating the rotatable member.

5. A clamp of the character described embodying two clamping jaws to engage and hold a wire, a rotatable member provided with a shoulder mounted between the jaws for vertical movement relatively thereto, a toggle having engagement with the shoulder and with opposing inner surfaces of the jaws and coacting with the rotatable member to impart cla-mping action to the jaws, and an adjusting collar engaging the jaws and interloclied with the rotatable member against'relative rotation but movable vertically relatively thereto for actuating said rotatable member. v

6. A clamp of the character described. embodying two clamping jaws Yadjustably connected together, a rotatable member arranged between the aws for vertical movementrelatively thereto and provided with a threaded socket and a head, a toggle mounted on said head and having engagement with inner opposing surfaces of the jaws whereby vertical movement of the Arotatable member imparts clamping action to the jaws, and an adjusting collar engaging the jaws and actuating the rotarymember and adapted to be clamped between a sur'- face of a support and the end surfaces of the jaws when the clampis installed.

7. A wire clamp comprising two cla-mping jaws connected together intermediate their ends, a toggle engaging inner opposing Y surfaces at the upper ends of the j aws' and *operating to force said ends ofthe jaws apart thereby to impart clamping action on the opposite ends of the aws and means rotat-able relatively to the toggle and jaws for simultaneously actuating the toggle and engaging a support.

8; A trolley wire clamp comprising a pair of adjustably mounted jaws connected together intermediate their ends, la rotatable supporting member, and a pair of an'gularlyV and adjustably disposed members interposed between the jaws and the supporting member adapted to increase the dista-nce between the edges thereof, Vand engage the clamp `when actuated bvY movement of the supporting member andl thereby force the jaws into clamping position.

9. A trolley wire clamp comprising a pair of jaws adjustably connected together intermediate their ends, angularly and adjustably disposed means positioned between the jaws and engaging the inner surface of the jaws, means engaging and supporting the angularly disposed means, means on the engaging means to secure the device to a support, the engaging means adapted to move relatively to the jaws and change the angular relation of the angularly disposed and adjustable means and thereby change the angular relation of the jaw members relative to each other.

l0. A trolley wire clamp consisting of a pair of adjustable jaw members having clamping edges at one end, toggle members positioned between the jaw members and engaging the jaw members, means holding the jaw members in adjustable position relatively to each other and positioned between the clamping edges and the toggle member, and rotatable means for securing the clamp to a hanger and having means for simultaneously operating the toggle members to force the jaws into clamping position.

l1. A trolley clamp provided with adjustably mounted jaws, toggle members engaging the jaws and. adapted to force them into clamping position, and means rotatively mounted with respect to the jaws and toggle members and engaging the toggle members and adapted to cause them to approach a straight line and force the jawsinto clamping position.

12. A trolley clampA provided with adjustably mounted jaws, toggle members between the jaws and engaging the inner surface of the jaws and rotatable means arranged between and adapted to engage the toggle members and cause them to straighten out, thereby forcing the jaws into clamping position.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES. 

